Congress Government and the Chief Minister Have No Concern for Farmerso….
Bengaluru:
State BJP President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra has alleged that the Congress-led state government is directly responsible for the distribution of substandard seeds and the shortage of fertilizers affecting farmers in Karnataka. In protest, the BJP Kisan Morcha will organize demonstrations across all district headquarters (except Bengaluru city) tomorrow, July 28, he announced.
Speaking to the media today at the BJP state office “Jagannath Bhavan”, Vijayendra mentioned that the protests will be conducted in two phases.
He criticized the Congress government and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for showing complete disregard for the welfare of Karnataka’s farmers. Since taking office, CM Siddaramaiah has not introduced any initiatives or schemes that benefit the farming community, he said.
Vijayendra pointed out that the monsoon arrived earlier than usual, and the state government and Agriculture Minister should have been aware of this. Since sowing doesn’t happen simultaneously across all districts, the government should have estimated the required quantity of urea and seeds for regions like Kalaburagi, Koppal, and Shivamogga.
Fertilizer Black Marketing in the State…
He alleged that a black market for fertilizers is thriving in Karnataka, forcing farmers to pay two to three times the usual rate to purchase urea. Farmers are being given low-quality seeds, which has caused immense distress and financial loss.
Vijayendra demanded that the Agriculture Minister take immediate action by identifying and filing criminal cases against agencies responsible for distributing substandard seeds and adulterated fertilizers, and ensure they are properly punished.
He further added that if the government had anticipated that higher sowing activity would increase the demand for urea, they should have discussed it internally and written to the central government in advance—not as an afterthought. But the state government failed in this regard too.
When B.S. Yediyurappa was the Chief Minister, ₹1,000 crore was allocated for buffer stock of fertilizers. Under Siddaramaiah, that amount has been reduced to ₹400 crore, meaning a cut of ₹600 crore, he claimed.
Under the PM-KISAN scheme, Yediyurappa gave ₹4,000 in support to farmers. Bommai continued the scheme. But soon after Siddaramaiah took office, one of his first major actions was to stop this assistance, Vijayendra alleged.
Why Should the Centre Create Awareness About Nano Urea?
He questioned why the central government has to step in to create awareness about nano urea usage. He stated it is the responsibility of the state government—including the CM and the Agriculture Minister—to educate and encourage farmers in this regard, but they have neglected their duties and pushed farmers to the streets.
The government has failed to support farmers who feed the state, Vijayendra added. Although the central government has provided over 8.7 lakh metric tons of urea, only 5.25 lakh metric tons are available in the market today. He questioned what happened to the remaining 2.5 lakh metric tons.
He also criticized the Congress government for discontinuing the Raita Vidyanidhi scheme (a scholarship fund for farmers’ children) introduced by the BJP. The cost to install an electricity connection for agriculture pump sets, which was ₹25,000 earlier, has now reportedly risen to ₹3 lakh, he said. He concluded by stating that many more such issues will be raised in the legislative assembly.
